003 (SF Roman)
Francoise Arnoul, also known as 003, is one of the secondary characters in the 1978 light novel Cyborg 009: SF Roman. As written by Akiyoshi Sakai, this incarnation of 003 displays some differences to the original character by Shotaro Ishinomori, with her backstory and role. Appearance Francoise is a young woman presumably in her late teens or early twenties, with a slender dancer build. She has shoulder-length, light brown hair held back by a red headband, and blue eyes. As a civilian, she is seen wearing a white blouse and cravat, with a yellow jumper dress worn over it, white gloves, a pink coat, and a pink beret. But in battle, she wears the usual red 00 cyborg uniform and yellow scarf. Personality After the defeat of Black Ghost, Francoise desires nothing more than to have a normal life. She has taken up her older brother's job at her family's florist shop while he's away at military, and spends time caring for her younger brother. She has also become attracted to her ballet teacher, Aznavour, who wishes for her to star in his next show. But old habits are hard to break and duties call, and her lingering attraction and care for Joe convince her that she is needed as part of the team once more. She is suspicious of Helena, and is willing to see her as a possible enemy right from the start, becoming upset when Joe pays more attention to her and seems to be oblivious to her own romantic feelings towards him. Little does she know, mind-warping rays that hit her earlier are subconsciously powering her negative feelings towards Helena. Francoise, under Black Ghost's influence, winds up destroying the Poseidon ship's defense systems and stabbing 001, as well as being a homing signal for Black Ghost sea life to attack the Poseidon. In the meantime, she sincerely believes that Helena is the one responsible and vehemently insists on it being her. She also sets Helena up to be attacked by a plant in the underground world, by insisting on her being left behind in the Poseidon, and secretly shoots at Joe from afar when he attempts to find her. Francoise is also shown to eavesdrop at points, listening in on Joe's upset over Helena's assumed "death" as well as an earlier instance when he tells Helena of his past. She listens in further when Albert/004 admonishes Joe for not noticing her feelings. Ultimately, she is broken out of her hypnosis after she attempts to murder the rest of the team, and Joe destroys the Black Ghost brains responsible for controlling her. Abilities As with other incarnations, she has 50km-range enhancements to her sight and hearing, as well as X-ray vision. History Very little of Francoise's history prior to her abduction is known, although after the assumed defeat of Black Ghost, she returned to Paris to be with her family and to pursue her ballet career. Her attachment to her family and a possible new lover courting her left her willing to refuse to return to the team five years later, but she had changed her mind and went back with Joe for the ensuing battle against Black Ghost in the Sea of Okhotsk. During the shoot-out, Francoise was left vulnerable and seemingly ignored by Joe, leaving Albert to have to protect and assist her. She also became affected by strange rays from one of the ships. Upon the rescue and introduction of Helena, she became offended and upset by Joe's affection towards the other girl and was quick to blame her for the tiger sharks and jellyfish tracking the Poseidon, believing her to be a criminal. Though sympathetic to hearing Joe reveal his past to Helena, she remained spiteful and jealous of the other girl and thought of how she had no sympathy for her. After the Poseidon narrowly escaped the Black Ghost submarines via the injured 001's telekinesis, and made its way to the underground world, 003 ordered Helena to be left behind on the Poseidon and for the rest of them to explore the place. But Helena soon wound up abducted, and Francoise, Albert, and Joe had to battle against the Cyborg 0011 twins, with Francoise and Albert winding up injured in the process and having to be taken back to the Poseidon. Francoise secretly recovered from her injuries quickly enough, left the Poseidon, and was there to witness Joe accusing Helena of being a spy and shooting her, having secretly shot at Joe herself before the 0011 twins came. She would later listen in on Albert scolding Joe for not knowing her feelings, and would take some relief and satisfaction in knowing that another team member realized how she felt. Little did she know, Helena had survived and had been taken away by Black Ghost operatives to be turned into their next cyborg. She and the rest of the 00 team, save for Joe, would wind up captured by Black Ghost and held in an electromagnetic cell. After a newly cybernetically-remodeled Helena died in the process of freeing them and fighting her brother (Petrov/Cyborg 0010), Francoise would take out her Super Gun and attempt to shoot the rest of the team. It was then revealed to Joe that Black Ghost had brainwashed her, and set up Helena to be lured into their trap via the things Francoise had done. Joe would destroy the brains responsible for controlling her, and the two would be able to resolve their relationship, as well as find a way out of the collapsing fortress via 001's teleportation. The 00 cyborgs and Dr. Gilmore mourned Helena's death, though Joe credited her love for peace in being what helped them defeat Black Ghost. Notes *Sakai would re-use the character of Aznavour briefly in his light novel of Cyborg 009 The Movie: Legend of the Super Galaxy, when Francoise has to leave home to go back to the team. *Though her role in the light novel is extended compared to the "Monster Wars" film (which was part of the basis), Sakai's portrayal of her would become criticized and it would lead to suspicion of the light novel not being written by Ishinomori, a fact that would be confirmed upon its reprints. *There is never any official word given on her parents' status in the manga, with Jean seeming to be her only family ever confirmed. In contrast, Sakai not only has her with an older brother (unnamed, but presumably Jean), but a mother and younger brother active in her life, leaving her as a team member with more than one living family member. As it is in the manga, she would seem to be the only one with any sort of family member confirmed to still be living, as 008's family was killed in the "Golden Lion" story, 001's father's status is never confirmed after "Cyborg Soldiers: Prologue", 009's mother is dead and his father's whereabouts unknown, and 002, 004, 005, 006, and 007 do not appear to have any family. Category:Cyborgs Category:Female characters Category:Light Novel Characters